Responsibility
by Rach CD McKenzie
Summary: It takes something terrible happening for Sandy and Kirsten to realise they have neglected their family. Set in Season 3 HC
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Responsibility

**Summary: **It takes something terrible happening for Sandy and Kirsten to realise how they've been neglecting their family. Season 3

**Ryan H/C 3**

The engine sputtered and coughed, the car beginning to slow to a crawl as Ryan pulled onto the side of the road hitting the steering wheel as the engine lurched again before cutting out completely.

"Fuck," he muttered under his breath as he sat in the car. The rain drove down in torrents, pattering on the roof of the car and lashing harshly against the window panes. He leant back in his seat and closed his eyes letting out a long sigh.

He really didn't want to get out of the car into the icy rain and check out the engine but it was either that or sit in the car all night so he didn't really have a choice.

He wished he had taken a coat.

Taking a breath he leant forward and pushed open the car door, an icy gust of wind hit him in the face immediately almost sending him reeling backwards.

Stupid storm.

He walked around the front of the car, he was soaked within seconds. Popping the hood of the car he squinted through the dark trying to find some sign of what was wrong.

He couldn't see a thing, it was too dark and he didn't have a flashlight. Even if he did he wasn't sure exactly what he would do. It looked like the engine was pretty much fried.

He didn't have a tow truck number. What was he supposed to do?

Shivering slightly against the howling wind and the rain lashing against his face he pulled out his cell phone.

---------------------

Sandy Cohen let out an exasperated sigh as he tried to sort through the mountain of papers that had been dumped on his desk. The proposal had to be finished by Tuesday and the architects hadn't even finished the blue prints.

Even after spending so many years in a hectic office dealing with an impossible amount of cases he had never felt this swamped.

It felt like he spent more time in this office than at home.

His cell phone began to buzz from its place under another stack of papers and he groaned and shifted the pile.

Ryan Cell

He was probably calling to tell him he was back from his trip down to Berkley.

He flicked open his cell phone.

"Hey kid, how was the trip?" He asked, he could hear wind and the rain over the line, it was shaping up to be a terrible storm, it was unseasonably cold as well.

"It was great um Sandy I was wondering…if you're not too busy, but if you are it's okay…but the car broke down and I need to get a ride…" Ryan asked.

Sandy was about to respond when there was a knock on the door and Matt's head appeared through the gap.

"Sandy, they want the planning notes for the development now." Matt said urgently causing Sandy to sigh.

"Hang on a second Ryan." He said.

"They want them NOW? That's impossible."

"I know but they mean business."

Sandy scrubbed a hand over his face.

"I'll be out in a minute." He said before picking up the phone.

"Ryan I'm really sorry but I can't pick you up, things are crazy over here and I can't leave. Try Kirsten." He said glancing at his watch.

"Okay, thanks Sandy." He said before Sandy hung up. Ryan let out a sigh and began to dial Kirsten's number hoping he would have better luck with her, he hated having to call them and ask for help when they were busy but he didn't fancy his chances with walking home in the rain.

---------------------

"No no, you don't put that centrepiece on that table; it goes on the one on the left. It's not difficult." Kirsten said to the rather ditzy girl who was setting up the tables. She had to get the whole room set up by the time people started arriving. Why had she let Julie get her into this?

Just as she was about to yell about where the hell the canapés were her cell phone began to ring. Sighing, she pulled it out of her pocket and flicked it open.

"Hello?" She said exasperatedly.

"Kirsten? It's Ryan." He said, wishing he could turn the heating on in the car.

"Oh hey sweetie, Is it important because I'm really busy right now." She said as she adjusted the tablecloths.

"Oh well, I was just wondering if you could give me ride because the car's broken down…" He began.

Kirsten was about to reply when she heard a smash and a shrill scream, looking over she saw Julie yelling and a pile of broken china. She groaned.

"Ryan I'm really sorry but I can't get away right now, why don't you try Sandy?" She suggested, keeping one eye on Julie as she berated the poor girl who had dropped the plates.

"But I.." He began again but Kirsten cut him off.

"I'm really sorry Ryan, any other time you know I would but I really have to go. I'll see you later." She said hanging up before Ryan could say anything else.

He leant back against the headrest and shut his phone with an exasperated sigh. He knew Seth was catching a movie with Summer so he'd have his cell off…

It looked like he'd have to walk.

----------------------

Seth opened the front door and stepped into the dark house, he pulled down the hood from his jacket and rushed over to the mirror, relieved to find his hair still in tact.

"Stupid weather." He grumbled to himself as he flicked the lights on.

"Hello?" He called out to the empty house.

Surely Ryan would be home by now? He knew his parents would be at work as usual but usually Ryan was here whenever he got back. He knew he was on his way back from Berkeley but it wouldn't take this long would it?

Maybe he was in the pool house.

He walked through to the kitchen finding all the rooms empty and looking out the rain spattered windows he could see the lights in the pool house were off.

Ryan wasn't here.

Frowning he walked over to the phone and began to dial Ryan's cell.

-----------------

A violent shiver ripped through Ryan as he trekked along the roadside. He was completely soaked through to the skin and the icy rain wasn't showing any sign of relenting. This was shaping out to be a pretty crappy evening.

His clothes felt like lead as they were weighed down with water and he couldn't see a thing, it was too dark out. He hoped he was going in the right direction.

As he shivered again, the icy wind whipping around him his cell phone began to ring in his pocket. God he hoped it was Sandy or Kirsten saying they could give him a ride.

"Hello?" He said hoping he could be heard over the howling wind and driving rain.

"Ryan man, it's Seth. I just got back home, where are you?" He asked frowning at the noise over the line.

"I'm walking down Enfield Road." He said as a car drove past, narrowly missing a huge puddle.

"What? You mean you're _outside_? In _that_? Are you mad?" He asked incredulously, gesturing towards the window even though Ryan couldn't see him.

"Well believe it or not Seth I'm not actually out here by choice." He snapped.

"Sorry, the…the car broke down and neither of your parents could give me a lift and I knew you were out with Summer so I started walking." He said trying to stop his teeth chattering and the shivers that were rattling his frame.

"Ryan you can't walk back home in this! Last time I checked you didn't have webbed feet. You're on Enfield Road right?"

"Yeah but Seth y…you don't have to…" He began but Seth cut him off.

"Shutup, I'll borrow Summer's car. Just keep walking along the road and I'll come and pick you up." He said already reaching for his jacket.

Ryan smiled weakly.

"Thanks Seth." He said feeling exhausted.

"No problem."

------------------

It felt like it had been hours since Seth had called but the time on his cell phone told him it had only been about fifteen minutes.

His limbs felt stiff and heavy and he was exhausted. The rain hadn't stopped pouring and there had been no sign of Seth.

He let out a sigh, his breath rose in smoky plumes into the night air. A car drove past, the bright headlights causing him to squint against the harsh light. It wasn't Seth.

A deep roll of thunder resounded in his ears as lightning illuminated the sky.

The thunder masked the sound of screeching tyres and by the time Ryan turned and faced the blinding headlights it was too late to do anything…


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **Responsibility

**Summary: **It takes something terrible happening for Sandy and Kirsten to realise how they've been neglecting their family. Season 3

**Chapter 2**

**A/N Thanks for all the great reviews guys! I'm glad you liked the first chapter! Here's another one for you.**

Wet.

He could feel water on his face.

Dripping.

Drip

His eyelids felt like lead as he struggled to open them. They fluttered feebly before opening.

He found himself staring up at the night sky, a blanket of darkness with small twinkling stars scattered across it sporadically.

Why was he outside?

Why couldn't he breathe?

Then it all hit him with a rush of pain, breaking glass, headlights and screeching tyres.

He had been hit by a car.

He tried to sit up but let out a strangled cry as pain lanced through his chest. Each shuddering breath sent agony through him.

His head felt foggy, he couldn't think straight

His mouth tasted like copper

How long had he been lying here?

His head was pounding, his whole chest was searing with pain, and he was soaked. He inclined his head slightly, trying to see his surroundings.

He was lying in the small ditch by the roadside, surrounded by icy, muddy rainwater.

Taking short, struggling breaths he began to move his arm slightly. He gingerly touched the side of his head and drew his hand away with a hiss. His fingertips were covered in blood.

Shit.

That explained the pounding headache.

He tried to gather his thoughts, think about this rationally but it was hard when his brain felt like it had been replaced with cotton wool.

Turning his head again he spotted his cell phone lying on the side of the road. He could probably reach it from here.

He swallowed hard as he shivered violently, pain shooting through his body. He was so cold.

He tried to move his right arm to reach across for the phone but the slightest movement sent fire lancing down his arm causing his eyes to water and a low moan to escape his lips.

His fingertips had brushed the phone.

He lay there struggling to draw a complete breath, the cold eating at his bones.

He was well and truly fucked.

He couldn't hold up the weight of his eyelids any longer, drowsiness washing over him as his head swam. He let his eyelids droop shut before welcoming the familiar darkness.

------------------------

Seth tapped on the steering wheel to the rhythm of the music currently blasting from the stereo. He had been driving along the road for a while now but there was still no sign of Ryan.

Had he given him the right road name?

How could Ryan be walking around in this? Seth would have demanded for the rents to come and pick him up, he wouldn't have cared how busy they were with work; he would not be ruining the Jew fro.

It was kind of pissing him off, the amount of time his parents were spending at work. It was like he hardly saw them anymore; they didn't have time for him and Ryan anymore.

He was pulled from his thoughts when he saw the car parked on the side of the road. He must have driven down too far; Ryan had said he had left the car and started walking.

Frowning he pulled over. He must have missed him, but the roads were pretty empty…how could he have missed him walking along?

Letting out a sigh he did a u-turn and drove slowly back down the road making sure he was watching carefully.

He turned down the music finding himself unable to concentrate as Summer's jeep crawled the empty road. He continued like this for a few more miles.

Glancing out the left window he suddenly did a double take, his stomach dropping.

Slamming his foot down on the brake he stopped and stared out of the rain soaked window at the figure lying in the ditch…

It couldn't be…

All concerns over his hair and the rain vanished from his mind as he scrambled out of the car, slamming the door he ran around the front of the car towards the roadside.

He stopped still. It felt like he had been punched in the stomach, all the air seemed to vanish from his lungs as he stared down at the unconscious, bloody figure of his brother.

Snapping out of it he sprinted over to him. He was so pale, so still.

He looked dead.

He thought he was going to be sick.

The right side of his face was covered in blood, standing out starkly against his pallid complexion.

His lips were blue and he was completely soaked.

"R..Ryan?" He stammered desperate to illicit a response.

His hands trembling he reach out and placed two fingers on his neck, feeling just how cold his friend was.

A rush of relief passed over him as he felt a slow pulse pushing against his fingers. He was alive.

"Ryan? Ryan wake up. Can you hear me? Ryan." He called, shaking him slightly. He wasn't waking up.

"Ryan! Please." He pleaded desperately, his voice cracking slightly.

He watched as Ryan's eyelids began to twitch before lethargically opening revealing dull blue, painfilled eyes.

"S..Seth." He whispered weakly. Seth was chilled by the fragility of his voice.

"Ryan man, it's okay. What the hell happened?" He asked as Ryan shivered violently and winced in pain.

Realising how cold he was he began to shrug off his jacket and laid it across his friend.

"H…hit..car…hit me." He mumbled his eyes closing again.

"Ryan, stay awake. Stay awake," Seth said quickly causing Ryan to force his eyes open again.

"A car hit you?" Seth asked causing Ryan to nod which he immediately regretted, black spots dancing in front of his eyes.

Seth felt a sudden burst of fury at the driver who had just left Ryan here…

"H…hurts Seth…I…I can't breathe." Ryan whispered weakly causing a lump to rise in Seth's throat and a distinct feeling of terror to settle itself in the pit of his stomach

"It's gonna be okay…I…I'm gonna call an ambulance." He said pulling his phone from his pocket.

He needed to get Ryan help, he didn't have a clue what to do and he could tell if Ryan was telling him that he was in pain then it was bad, Ryan wasn't the type to complain about nothing.

Ryan felt himself slipping in and out of consciousness as Seth called 911. His limbs felt stiff and he felt so tired…he just wanted to sleep…just for a little bit. It was warmer in the dark.

"Ryan wake up!"

He was jolted awake by Seth shaking at him, staring down at him with fearful eyes.

"Ryan you have to stay awake, look at me- help is coming soon." He said trying to reassure his brother but it was hard when he was so shit-scared himself.

"Whe…where am I?" Ryan stammered suddenly feeling completely disorientated.

Seth frowned something in the back of his mind telling him something was very wrong.

"What? Ryan you're…" He began but Ryan cut him off.

"K…Keep talking…talk to me about…a…anything. It'll…k…keep me awake." He stammered in-between shivers; each breath he drew was like fire.

"Um…okay…um, me and Summer got in a fight on our date tonight, which is why I came home early. I bought salted popcorn and I forgot she hated it so she started saying I don't appreciate her enough and I don't know anything about her but I mean how do I not appreciate her? I mean talk about her enough don't I?" He said earning a weak smile from Ryan, it was strange forcing himself to talk about something normal at a time like this but it was helping Ryan stay awake…

"So now I need to think of a way to show her that I appreciate her. I'm pretty short on ideas but I was thinking maybe a handmade edition of Atomic County all about Little Miss Vixen." He said watching Ryan like a hawk the whole time he was talking.

He could tell Ryan was finding it hard to breathe and that he was freezing but he didn't know what to do.

Ryan opened his mouth as if to say something but was interrupted by a harsh bout of coughing; his eyes were streaming and his whole body arching with each cough. Seth watched worriedly unable to do anything as Ryan continued to cough. His whole body was screaming in pain with each cough but he couldn't stop.

When he drew his hand away Seth was alarmed to see blood…that definitely wasn't a good sign.

He could hear sirens drawing closer and he knew help wasn't far away, a good thing too seeing as he didn't know how much longer Ryan would hold out.

"It's okay man, the ambulance is almost there. You're gonna be okay," Seth said his voice wavering slightly.

The Red and Blue lights drew closer, washing over Ryan's pale face.

Seth just hoped they weren't too late.

**A/N Sorry if it was a bit boring, it picks up a bit in the next chapter. Please drop a review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N Thanks for the great reviews guys! Hope you enjoy…**

Seth stood there numbly as he was pushed aside by the paramedics. He watched as they tried to get Ryan to respond. This felt like a dream, some kind of twisted nightmare. This couldn't be happening. Ryan couldn't be lying there like that; Ryan wasn't supposed to get hurt. He was supposed to be invincible.

"What's his name?" The paramedic asked jolting Seth from his thoughts.

"Ryan, it's Ryan." He choked out as the paramedics talked lowly in medical jargon which went over Seth's head.

"Ryan? Ryan can you hear me? Ryan I need you to wake up for me kid." The paramedic called, tapping Ryan on the face. Seth could see from his name tag that his name was Alan.

"Looks like hypothermia, skin is blue, decreased breath sounds on the right side." He said pulling away his stethoscope.

"Core temperature is 89 degrees." The female medic said gravely.

"Okay get blankets, start two warm IVs."

Seth watched the exchange with bated breath, he heard hypothermia and he knew that wasn't good.

The medic, Alan, had returned to trying to wake up Ryan by shining a light in his eyes. He knew that was going to piss him off.

"Ryan? Ryan I need you to wake up for me. Open your eyes." He tried again loudly.

"Pupils are dilated." He said, tapping Ryan lightly on the face.

"Ryan? Ryan open your eyes." He said again.

This time Ryan seemed to respond, he made a thick noise in his throat and turned his head slightly.

"That's it kid, wake up."

An eye twitch.

Swallow

Fluttering eyelids

"Ryan, my name's Alan I'm a paramedic and I'm here to help you out okay? I need you to stay awake for me. Now I know you're very cold but we're going to get you warm." He said waiting for Ryan to give him a sign that he understood.

Ryan nodded slightly, now he was awake the pain had returned full measure. He had no energy and he was so cold but the shivers and tremors seemed to have stopped.

Who was this guy poking and prodding him? He didn't know what was going on…It hurt. He couldn't breathe, it was like an elephant was sitting on his chest and everytime he tried to breathe in it felt like fire in his lungs.

"I need you tell me where it hurts."

Ryan swallowed hard wishing he could just breathe.

"It…it hurts when…when I breathe..." Ryan gasped between shallow breaths. He didn't mention the throbbing in his shoulder, it seemed more important to him that he could barely draw breath.

Seth swallowed hard struggling keep everything together. He couldn't believe this was happening. How could he have let this happen? If his parents had just taken time out of their precious jobs to pick up Ryan who so rarely asked for anything then none of this would have happened.

Staring down at Ryan looking so helpless and lost as the female medic draped a wad of blankets around him in an effort to warm him. How could he be strong for his brother when he just wanted to run away from this and pretend none of this had happened?

"Okay Ryan I'm just going to have a feel of your chest okay?"

Ryan didn't respond his eyes were roaming the surrounding area. He looked completely out of it and that's what scared Seth the most.

Ryan let out a hiss of pain as the medic pressed down on his side.

"Okay this rib is giving, I think it's broken. Looks like a possible pneumothorax." He said to his partner.

"Okay Ryan, we have to get you out of here and to the hospital. We need to warm you up because you're too cold and we can't treat any of your other injuries until we get you warm." He said kindly but Ryan was drifting in and out of consciousness, slipping in and out of the blackness.

Sitting back on his haunches Alan turned to face Seth.

"Do you know if he has an allergies?" He asked him.

Seth frowned.

"Um…no sorry I…I don't know. I don't think so." He stammered ashamed that he didn't know the answer. Ryan was supposed to be his best friends and sometimes he realised how little he knew about him.

"He's stopped shivering." Alan said mainly to himself. Seth frowned.

"Isn't that a good thing? Doesn't it mean he's getting warmer?" He asked

"The body starts shivering to produce heat but Ryan's temperatures gotten so low that shivering doesn't do enough, it starts to make him lose energy so the body stops shivering to conserve it."

Seth nodded numbly.

Ryan wanted so much to close his eyes but Seth had said he wasn't allowed to and the man said he wasn't allowed to either.

He didn't want to get in trouble

The Cohens might get mad at him.

He didn't really know what was going on but he knew he wasn't thinking straight.

He felt like he was floating…

He looked down and realised he was being lifted…

Where were they taking him?

He saw Seth and felt slightly comforted, Seth wouldn't let them do anything to him…

------------------

Seth sat back and watched feeling slightly sick as they attached IVs to Ryan and his face was soon covered with an oxygen mask.

"We need to get him out of the wet clothes, they're just making it worse."

Seth winced as they cut through one of Ryan's favourite shirts but thoughts of the shirt were forgotten when Ryan's bruised, bloodied chest was exposed, it was a patchwork of already blossoming bruises.

The bruising was quickly covered up with more blankets and a foil blanket as the beeping of the heart monitor they had attached to him drove into Seth's skull.

"BP is low"

Seth felt like a spare part, unable to comfort his brother or do anything.

"Is…is there anything I can do?" Seth asked lamely. The medic smiled at him.

"Hold his hand, skin to skin contact usually helps."

Seth looked at him for a few seconds before looking down at Ryan's hand. He reached out for it well aware that if Ryan were lucid he wouldn't allow such contact.

His hand was like ice as he held it, shifting feeling slightly awkward.

He just hoped everything would be okay.

-------------------------

They arrived at the hospital and Ryan was whisked away in a flurry of scrubs, white coats and shouting. So Seth was left sat in the dingy waiting room staring down at the forms. He didn't know how to fill these in, he needed his parents, he was scared, scared for his friend.

He had to call them…

He took out his cell phone but remembered he couldn't use them in here and sighed, digging around in his jeans for some change

Finding a quarter he put it in the payphone and dialled his father's number.

The phone rang three times before Sandy picked up with an exasperated hello.

"Dad it's Seth." He began, trying and failing to keep the tremble out of his voice, he could hear voices in the background. He was still at work.

"Seth can I call you later I'm really busy at the moment." He said hurriedly and Seth felt a sudden surge of anger. He was brushing him off again when brushing off Ryan was what had caused all of this.

"No you can't call me back Dad. Will you just forget about work for one god damn second? You didn't pick up Ryan did you?" Seth asked his voice shaking with anger. There was a pause on the other end of the phone and he could almost hear the cogs turning in his father's mind.

"No, I couldn't I'm swamped here, I told him to call Kirsten. What's going on Seth?" He asked apprehensively.

Seth swallowed hard, he was clenching the phone so hard his knuckles were turning white.

"You brushed him off because you were too caught up in work and mom did the same so Ryan was left to walk home. He got hit by a fucking car Dad. I'm at the hospital and Ryan's messed up bad because you and mom care more about your jobs than your kids. I hope you're fucking proud of yourself." Seth spat, seething with rage.

"Seth I.." Sandy began lamely, stunned.

"Forget it Dad, just come to HOAG if you're not too busy. Forms need filling out." He said before hanging up.

He collapsed back into a chair letting out a defeated sigh and he cried.

**A/N Hope you liked it! Parental drama coming up, thanks for the great reviews!**


	4. Chapter 4

Sandy let the phone drop out of his hand and it hit the desk with a clatter. He swallowed hard and his heart was beating so hard and fast in his ears that he didn't hear the knocking on the door.

"_I'm at the hospital and Ryan's messed up bad"_

Seth's voice shaking with anger haunted him.

Angry at _him._

Ryan was in the hospital and he was "_messed up_".

His son was in the hospital and he was still sitting here.

"_You and mom care more about your jobs than your kids"_

He was still sitting here.

How could he have let this happen? He could count on one hand the amount of times Ryan had asked him for help and one of the few times the kid had reached out and asked for help he had brushed him off.

Because he was working.

And now he was in the hospital.

How had he let this happen? How had he let himself turn into this, into Caleb Fucking Nichol?

There was a time when he hated this place and now he practically lived here and had put it before his kid.

_I hope you're fucking proud of yourself_

Seth words were still ringing in his ears like a slap in the face.

Seth never cursed.

"SANDY"

He was startled from his thoughts by Matt's yell and he found him standing right in front of his face waving a hand in front of him.

Jesus how long had he been standing there?

"I've been standing here for nearly a minute trying to get you're attention! Are you okay?" Matt asked frowning.

Sandy blinked and looked down at the phone lying on the desk.

_He got hit by a fucking car Dad_

"No." He said hoarsely before grabbing his cell phone with shaking hands and pulling his jacket from the back of his chair.

"Wait, where are you going? You can't leave now Sandy we need to finish this or the whole deal goes under!" Matt shouted incredulously as he jogged down the corridor to keep up with Sandy's fast pace.

"Ryan's in the hospital. I have to go. You can take care of things here and if you can't…I don't care. I need to get to my son." He said pulling on his jacket and watching as Matt gaped at him.

"Is he okay? What happened? Sandy I don't know if I can…" He began but Sandy cut him off by raising a hand.

"I have to go." He said before pushing open the doors and walking out into the parking lot.

The fierce wind and rain struck him with an icy blow as he squinted through the downpour to spot his car.

Ryan had been out in this.

It would have taken him a couple of minutes to go and pick him up.

Then he realised, Kirsten. He hadn't called her. Did she know?

Fuck. Messed up? What did that mean? Would he be okay?

He felt like punching something.

He unlocked the car and got inside not caring that his Armani suit was soaking wet.

Letting out a shaking sigh he closed his eyes and dialled the speed dial on his cell phone wondering how on earth he was going to tell his wife that their son was in the hospital because of the pair of them, both of them who were supposed to be parents.

------------------------

Kirsten smiled as she surveyed the perfect table layouts before her and the many people that had turned up. It looked like the night was turning out to be a success, maybe her and Julie's company was going to succeed afterall.

She was somewhat miffed that Sandy wasn't able to turn up and support her but he was busy at the Newport group. She was grateful that he had taken it over and taken the work off her hands because the place was bad for her, but she missed him. He worked so hard and spent all his time there.

She felt her purse vibrate and she reached into it and pulled out her cell phone. It was Sandy. She smiled; maybe he was ringing to see how things were going? It was nice to think that even though he couldn't be here he was still thinking of her.

"Hey Sandy," she said happily

"Kirsten, hey." Sandy said pausing. He didn't want to say it. He didn't want to tell her.

"Things are going really great here Sandy; we got a really good turnout." She said with a smile as she caught Julie's eye and gave her a wave.

Sandy felt his chest tighten. He already knew how horrible it felt to be told your child was in danger and now he had to tell her when everything was going right for her.

"Kirsten…I…something's happened."

Kirsten's smile immediately fell from her face and she turned and started to walk closer towards the doors away from the noise of the party.

"What? Sandy what's wrong?" She asked quickly dreading his reply.

He scrubbed a hand over his face and gripped the steering wheel tightly with his other hand.

"Ryan rang me earlier to ask for a ride home because the car broke down. I was swamped at the Newport group so I told him to ask you. He called you didn't he?" He asked her quietly.

Kirsten froze.

He had already called Sandy and then he rang her. She had brushed him off and told him to ask Sandy before he even had the chance to explain.

Oh God.

"Sandy what's happened to him?" She asked her voice cracking. Her heart was beginning to race.

"Seth called me from the hospital…He…Ryan he…He got hit by a car," Sandy said choking on the words.

Kirsten nearly dropped the phone as hot tears spilled from her eyes.

"Oh god. Sandy is he okay?" She asked frantically, she felt herself begin to tremble.

Sandy turned right in the car and he wished he could tell his wife he was okay, he wished he knew how Ryan was.

"I don't know. Seth didn't say. I'm gonna come and pick you up, we need to get to HOAG."

Kirsten bit her bottom lip hard and tried to blink away the tears.

"Okay. I'll be out front." She said quietly.

"I love you." Sandy said his voice wavering slightly.

"I love you too."

"He'll be okay. He's a tough kid," Sandy tried to reassure her…trying to reassure himself because he didn't know what he'd do if anything happened to him.

"I hope you're right."

-----------------

_BP is dropping_

_Decreased breath sounds on the right side_

_Core temp is 90_

_Pulse is slow_

_Hypothermia_

_Pneumothorax_

_LOC_

He didn't understand. He didn't know what they were saying.

He felt heavy.

He cracked open an eyelid with difficulty and found himself in a room full of people he didn't know.

Rushing

Shouting

He looked down and found himself buried by a mound of blankets and wires attached to his arms.

Suddenly a searing pain pierced through his chest and he let out a strangled groan.

Now they were looking at him.

Calling his name.

How did they know his name?

"Ryan? Ryan can you hear me? Do you know where you are?" A kindly looking nurse asked him.

He swallowed with difficulty. As he became more aware he felt the cold hit him again, the pain, the confusion.

"Hospital," he slurred heavily, he could barely recognise his own voice.

He was so cold.

"Start two more warm IVs, we need to get his temp up now!" someone shouted over him.

He wanted them to stop touching him. He was cold.

He wanted to sleep.

The kind nurse was back.

"We need to put a mask on your face, I know you're cold and I know your chest hurts but it will help."

Ryan couldn't even find the energy to nod.

His eyelids were so heavy.

"Humidified Oxygen. We need a chest x-ray now."

"His Sats aren't stabilising. He's bleeding from somewhere."

"We need to get him warm first."

Ryan didn't know what they were talking about.

It hurt.

He wanted to sleep.

-----------------

Seth paced the waiting room floor restlessly. He couldn't sit still; he couldn't just sit there and wait.

It had been ages and no one had told him anything.

Was that a good thing or a bad thing?

What was that saying? No news is good news?

What a load of shit.

As pissed off as he was he wanted his parents. He knew they would make him feel better, calm him down.

He sighed and glanced at his watch again.

He couldn't shake the image of Ryan lying there, lips blue, lying still, bleeding.

That wasn't the Ryan he knew. The Ryan he knew punched people got into impossible situations but somehow always managed to avoid getting hurt.

Until now.

He was going crazy in here. Everytime the door opened he'd practically jump out of his chair but it was always someone else.

He needed Ryan to be okay.

He was gonna be okay, he had to be.

The door opened and he couldn't stop himself from spinning around.

"Seth!" His mother cried as she rushed into the room and gathered him up into a hug which he couldn't bring himself to return. He stood there stiffly as she hugged him.

He was angry. It was their fault Ryan was in here.

"Seth have you heard anything? Do you know what's happening?" She asked. He could see tearstains on her cheeks.

He took a step backwards.

"No, they haven't told me anything." He replied.

"But how was he when you…when you found him?" Sandy asked.

Seth felt sick as flashes of Ryan lying there in his own blood attacked him.

"He was a mess Dad; he was freezing, barely breathing, covered in blood. If you had just taken a few minutes out of your precious jobs to come and get him we wouldn't be here!" He said loudly, his temper rising.

Sandy flinched at his harsh tones, the feeling of guilt that was already gnawing at him intensified.

"Seth." He began but he was interrupted.

"Don't dad, don't try to justify yourselves. You were both wrong. You put your jobs before your kids. Think to yourselves how many times Ryan actually outright asks you for anything. He doesn't unless he has to because for some reason he still feels like he owes you and because of that he wont think that you did anything wrong but you did." Seth yelled feeling heat rush to his face.

"If Ryan is okay he'll forgive you for this but I want you to know that I won't." He said lowly

He turned to walk away and he heard his mother start to sob but he didn't care.

"Seth! Seth come here we need to talk about this!" Sandy called after him.

"I'm done talking" Seth shouted.

He reached for the door but he was beaten to it as he nearly walked straight into the doctor who entered the room.

"Who's here for Ryan Atwood?"

**A/N Thanks for taking the time to review the last chapter! Hope you liked this one and don't worry Seth's guilt trip on the rents is not over! More Ryan HC coming yay**


	5. Chapter 5

Sandy stopped as the doctor stood in front of them and swallowed hard. Finally they were going to get some news. He couldn't stand not knowing what was going on. He felt bad enough as it is, he needed to know how Ryan was.

This was every parent's nightmare.

"We're his parents." He said feeling a pang of guilt as he said it. He was supposed to be Ryan's parent but he had let him down.

The doctor nodded and moved further into the room whilst Seth stayed where he was, standing by the door so he could escape if he needed to.

"I'm Dr Perry and I've been treating Ryan."

"Is he okay? What's happening?" Kirsten asked softly, tears still shining in her eyes.

The doctor sighed and looked down at the chart in his hands. This was a really difficult patient. Hit and Runs just made him angry, if the driver had bought this kid in when they hit him he wouldn't be in half the amount of trouble he was in now.

"Well when Ryan was bought in he was severely hypothermic, his core temperature was down to 90 degrees which is dangerously low. So, we've been working on getting his temperature up, we've started him on warm IVs and humidified oxygen." He said taking a breath to pause as he heard a sniffle from the blonde woman and the man with the unusually large eyebrows wrapped an arm around her.

"The force of the car broke some ribs and one has punctured his right lung which caused the lung to collapse and so we had to put him on a vent to make sure he is getting enough oxygen, we also found some bleeding in his spleen. This needs to be repaired in surgery but there's a problem, because Ryan's temperature is still very low we cannot go into surgery. If his heart were to fail defibrillators could not be used as if the heart is too cold it can cause damage to it but the longer we wait the more trouble Ryan is in. We need to get his temperature up quickly before the internal bleeding worsens. Cases like this are never easy." He said gravely.

Sandy raised a shaking hand and ran it through his hair. He couldn't believe this was happening. He couldn't believe Ryan had been hurt this badly and he could have avoided it. He looked up at the young doctor and then towards his wife who was barely holding things together.

Kirsten needed to sit down. Ryan had hypothermia, internal bleeding…he had been lying in a ditch bleeding whilst she was catering for Newpsies.

"He also has a broken collar bone and some bruising and contusions but the bleeding and his breathing are our main concerns. His temperature is rising but not as fast as we'd like."

Seth gripped the door handle tightly still unable to shake the image of Ryan lying there shivering and fighting to stay conscious.

"Is he going to be okay though?" Sandy asked voicing what everyone in the room was thinking but dreading the answer all the same.

The doctor sighed again; he hated it when people asked him this because he could never give a solid answer or make any promises no matter how much he wanted to.

"I can't really say right now but if you we get his temperature up quickly enough so he can have the surgery then he should make a full recovery."

"Can we see him?" Seth asked speaking his first words since the doctor had walked into the room.

Seth was aware of his parent's eyes on him but he kept his gaze fixed upon the doctor.

"He's still in trauma one but you can come and see him for a little while," he said offering a smile.

As Dr Perry left Seth made to follow him but was interrupted by Sandy stepping forward.

"Seth we still need to talk about this," He said almost pleadingly.

"No we don't, you left Ryan lying in a ditch because you were too busy working for a company you hate and you working for a woman who tried to get Ryan arrested for attempted murder!" He yelled causing Kirsten to look up suddenly her eyes bloodshot.

"What?" She said looking between Seth and Sandy.

Sandy looked at Seth warningly.

"Oh yeah, I guess it must have slipped Dad's mind and he must have forgotten to tell you that Julie made a deal with Trey to frame Ryan, just how you forgot to pick him up and you've been running around working with her like best friends."

"Seth that's enough!" Sandy yelled.

Kirsten turned towards Sandy her mind reeling.

"You kept this from me? You didn't tell me?" She said incredulously as she stared at Sandy.

Julie had acted like everything was completely normal when she came back from rehab, she hadn't said a thing…

As Sandy was about to reply Seth cut across grabbing the door handle.

"I'm going to see Ryan." He said angrily before slamming the door shut behind him leaving Sandy and Kirsten alone.

Silence enveloped the room and Kirsten stared angrily at her husband.

"How could you keep this from me Sandy?" She asked softly, her voice cracking with emotion. This was too much for her to handle.

"I wanted to tell you Kirsten but you wouldn't come home and then when you did I was so scared of losing you again…I know there aren't excuses." He said taking her hand.

She let out a sigh and blinked away hot tears.

"You're right, there isn't. Look Sandy I don't want to fight, I want to see Ryan but we can't go and see him if we're like this, we've done enough damage already," She said softly squeezing his hand.

"I'm sorry Kirsten." He whispered kissing her cheek.

"Me too."

--------------------------

Seth pressed his nose up against the glass window like he used to when he was a child, his breath painting fog across the clear glass. He could see Ryan.

But it didn't look like Ryan, that couldn't be Ryan.

He was almost buried under a pile of thick blankets and IVs snaked from under them up to the many bags of fluid hanging from poles but it was the bags of blood that alarmed him.

The thing that scared him the most was the breathing tube shoved down his throat. Ryan couldn't even do something as simple as breathe by himself.

He pushed the door slowly and stepped into the room. He could hear the beeping of the machines and the hissing of the ventilator.

This didn't feel real.

Ryan looked so young, so small under the mass of blankets.

He took a seat next to the bed and looked down at his hands. Why hadn't his parents just checked with each other? Why hadn't Ryan rung them back or rang him?

He knew the answer though. Because he was Ryan, he didn't want to be any trouble.

He knew he himself wouldn't think twice about ringing back and demanding a ride but that wasn't who Ryan was.

And now he was in here.

He might…if he…

He couldn't even think about it.

He glanced down at his brother and sighed, the bruises on his face had developed into large blossoms of purple and the cut over his eye had been covered by gauze.

He noticed Ryan's eyelids fluttering and his heart lurched as he leant forward immediately. Ryan's blue eyes were dulled with pain and exhaustion but he was still awake, looking at Seth.

"Hey man." He managed his voice shaking.

Ryan blinked tiredly

"I know you can't talk man but…it's gonna be okay alright? They're gonna fix everything and you're gonna be okay. They really don't want to face the wrath of the ironist if you're not." He said trying illicit a response but all he received was another tired blink.

Ryan's eyes slid closed and within seconds he was back asleep leaving Seth alone again.

He swallowed hard blinking the moisture from his eyes quickly.

He heard the door open and turned around and was faced with his parents as they entered the room hand in hand. He turned back around to face Ryan.

Kirsten stepped into the room and stopped as soon as she laid eyes on Ryan. From the doctor's words she knew it would be bad but she could never picture Ryan looking how he looked now, bruised, pale, hooked up to machines.

She never wanted to see any of her family look like that.

She felt tears burn in her eyes and the overwhelming guilt eating at her since Sandy had called her seemed to increase even more.

She didn't think she could hold it together.

This was her fault.

How must Ryan have felt, her running around with Julie after she had done that to him? Ryan probably thought she thought it was okay for Julie to have done that…

She just wished she could take back the past month, the things she had said at the intervention. She never wanted to see that look of hurt in his eyes again.

Now he was lying here fighting for his life.

The sight of all the equipment made her feel sick, knowing Ryan needed all this.

She felt a sob rise in her throat and she turned to Sandy.

"Oh God, what have we done? How could we let this happen to him? Look at him!" She cried, hot tears rolling down her cheeks as he pulled her close to him, her tears soaking into his shirt.

"What if he…" She began but she couldn't bring herself to say it.

Sandy hugged her tighter his own eyes watering slightly.

"He won't. He's strong Kirsten. He won't." He said softly as he hugged his wife tightly, trying to reassure himself as well as her.

"He woke up." Seth said softly causing Sandy to turn around, releasing Kirsten as they both stared at him.

"What? Did he say anything?" Sandy asked quickly walking closer to the bed and avoiding looking at the bruising on his face and the ventilator.

Seth shook his head.

"He can't can he? He just… looked at me for a few seconds and then went back to sleep." He said softly.

Kirsten swallowed hard and wiped her eyes.

"That must be a good sign right?" Kirsten said between sniffs.

Before Sandy or Seth had a chance to reply a nurse bustled into the room and greeted them with a smile.

"Hi I'm Carrie." She said as she checked Ryan's monitors.

She began to note things into his chart but she stopped and frowned.

"Is everything okay?" Sandy asked noticing her expression.

"His BP's dropping." She said

"What does that mean?" Sandy asked.

"It just means that we need to operate pretty soon before it gets worse but the good news is that his temperature has risen slightly. A little bit more and he'll be able to go to surgery." She said with a smile.

She noted a few more things down, smoothed Ryan's blankets and left.

Seth stood up and walked towards the door.

"I…I'm just gonna call Summer." He said leaving Sandy and Kirsten alone with Ryan.

Seth shut the door behind him and let out a long breath as he leant back against the door closing his eyes.

He couldn't take this.

He walked over to the payphone and put in a quarter before dialling Summer's number.

It rang a few times before she picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hey it's Seth." He said quietly.

"Cohen? When are you giving me my car back? I only lent it to you because you said it was an emergency, I'm still mad at you. What's going on?" She asked as Seth tapped the phone absent mindedly.

"It's…It's Ryan." He eventually choked out.

There was silence on the line for a few seconds before summer asked softly,

"What happened?"

"He…he got hit by a car." He said the words sounding foreign in his mouth.

"Oh God Cohen." She gasped.

"It's really bad Sum." He said unable to keep the tremble from his voice.

"I need you Summer."

"I'll come, don't worry. Do you want me to tell Marissa?" She offered

"Yes please." He said gratefully, he didn't want to deal with a sobbing Marissa.

"I love you." She said

"I love you too." Seth replied before hanging up the phone and sinking down into a chair.

He just wanted this all to be okay.

**A/N Thanks for all the reviews and sorry for the longer wait. I wasn't very happy with this chapter but I thought I should just get one up sharpish! Tell me what you think**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N Sorry for the delay, thanks for the reviews and apologies for the shortness. More coming soon! So keep reading!**

Summer was angry. No, scratch that she was furious. She stormed through the automatic doors through the hospital lobby, her heels clicking against the tiles and her umbrella dripping steadily on the floor.

Marissa had been her best friend since kindergarten and she loved the girl she really did but sometimes she was so…selfish. She had used her dad's car to drive around to Johnny's to find Marissa and told her everything. She'd been expecting a huge Marissa Cooper meltdown but instead she got nothing. Sure she'd looked upset but she'd just made excuses about Johnny having a fall and needing to look after him.

She'd made some comment about her not being able to do anything for Ryan yet anyway.

He was her fucking boyfriend.

So she'd left with some choice words and stormed over here.

She had never been really close with Ryan but she he was one of the most decent guys she knew and she knew he deserved better than this.

She strode over to the receptionist and tapped on the wood surface of the desk to draw the girl's attention.

"Excuse me? I'm looking for Ryan Atwood?" She said.

The girl tapped at the computer and stared at the screen for a few seconds before looking back up.

"He's in Trauma One, if you're not family you'll have to wait in the waiting room." She drawled.

Summer didn't respond but strode away from the desk following the signs to trauma one.

---------------------

Seth stared down at his muddy shoe laces and sighed. He felt bad for not going back into the room and sitting with his parents and Ryan but he didn't think he could go back in there and see Ryan like that.

It had been bad enough finding him.

Why was this happening to Ryan? Hadn't he been through enough already? He'd had to fight his way through life and it wasn't letting up.

Seth didn't want to think about what would happen if Ryan didn't make it through this.

It was too terrible to think about. He hadn't realised how much he took Ryan for granted, how little he really knew about him. Seth had always been a self-involved person but he knew he should talk to Ryan more. He kept everything inside. He had barely spoken after the Trey incident.

Seth looked up upon hearing the sound of clicking heels and couldn't stop the breath of relief coming from his mouth as he saw Summer.

He rose to his feet unsteadily and pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Cohen, how is he?" She asked into his shoulder as she hugged him tightly.

Seth closed his eyes breathing in her sweet perfume feeling grateful just to have her here with him.

"Not good, he needs surgery." He said shakily as Summer pulled away and studied his pale face.

He looked terrible. She could see tearstains on his cheeks and his eyes were red, his hair was dishevelled and he looked exhausted.

"Where's Marissa?" He asked suddenly realising Summer had come alone.

Summer looked up at him darkly.

"She wanted to stay with Johnny instead, apparently he fell today and he has no one else to look after him so she's staying with him. She said she might come and see Ryan later." Summer said bitterly and Seth stared at her incredulously.

"What?"

"I know."

"She's supposed to be his fucking girlfriend and she's staying looking after some other guy when Ryan could…"

He trailed off unable to say it. Summer pulled Seth into another hug, seeing him growing upset.

"He won't Seth, you know how stubborn Chino is." She said as Seth trembled in her arms.

They stood there in each other's arms for a few moments until Seth pulled away and swiped at his eyes quickly.

"We should go and see him." He said.

Summer nodded and slipped her hand inside Seth's.

---------------------------

Kirsten stared at Ryan's chest as it rose and fell steadily, she could barely wrap her head around the fact that he couldn't breathe without help.

He looked so young and small buried under the heaps of blankets. She stroked the back of his hand softly, enjoying the contact she wouldn't usually have with him.

Looking at his bruised face and the dried blood on his ear she felt another wave of unbearable guilt. This was her fault.

She looked across at Sandy and saw her own expression of hopelessness and fear reflected on his face.

"How did we let things come to this?" She whispered.

Sandy looked up at her.

"How did we let things get this bad? It takes one of our children ending up in hospital for us to realise just how far we've grown apart." She said her eyes brimming with tears.

Sandy took her hand gently.

"I don't know. But all I know is it wont happen again. We're gonna get through this. Ryan will get through this." Sandy said trying to keep the tremor from his voice.

He'd taken Ryan from a life of neglect, promising to give him a better life but he was just as bad as Dawn.

Kirsten leant against Sandy and he wrapped an arm around her.

---------------------------

Summer stared through the window into Ryan's room and she swallowed with difficulty.

It didn't look like Ryan. She knew things were bad because of what Seth had told her but she had never imagined them to be this bad.

Ryan was surrounded by various machines and she could even see from here how pale he was, how bad he looked.

He looked…he looked like he might…die.

She felt tears spring to her eyes.

Ryan was her friend. He was her friend and he was lying in hospital and his girlfriend couldn't even be bothered to come.

A warm tear slid down her cheek.

Ryan didn't deserve this.

--------------------

Kirsten and Sandy sat there in silence, the only sound was the hissing of the ventilator and the steady beating of the heart monitor.

Sandy stroked Kirsten's arm gently. He couldn't take his eyes from Ryan. Knowing this was his fault was eating him up inside.

Ryan was the glue holding this family together. If they lost him….

His thoughts were suddenly punctuated by a shrill, piercing whine from one of the machines and Kirsten immediately flinched next to him. She stumbled to her feet her eyes wide with terror and Sandy moved back from the bed.

He froze not knowing what to do when the door burst open and doctors and nurses hurried in.

Numb, he felt himself being ushered from the room but his eyes didn't leave Ryan's still body.

Kirsten stared through the windows in horror, tears blurring her vision as Seth looked at her terrified.

Barraging her with questions, wanting to know what was going on.

She wished she could answer them…


End file.
